FORT CAMPBELL – Even if the UFC president is just being honest, there’s no doubt James Krause is getting kicked while he’s down. But at least it’s not another kick to the ol’ beanbag.

After absorbing two loud and obviously painful accidental kicks to the groin, the lightweight suffered a TKO loss when referee “Big” John McCarthy deemed Bobby Green‘s third one both legal and on the belt line at Wednesday’s UFC Fight Night 31 event.

The bout, which aired on FOX Sports 1 from Fort Campbell in Kentucky, was halted in the first round when Krause (20-5 MMA, 1-1 UFC) crashed to the mat in pain from the final blow. With the strike deemed legal, McCarthy’s only source of action was to award Green (21-5 MMA, 1-1 UFC) the TKO victory.

While the in-attendance troops and plenty of at-home viewers were quick to criticize the veteran ref, Dana White supported McCarthy’s decision, though he admits it was a tough call to make.

“I thought it was a clean shot,” White said. “The first two were definitely low. That other one was right on the border. I heard Joe (Rogan) saying the foot hit the cup, but did it hit the top of the cup? Who knows. I thought it was right on the border.

“I think that shot was … more body that hurt him than the actual cup.”

Krause, who snapped an eight-fight winning streak with the dubious loss, later said he would never fake an injury. Green, meanwhile, said he felt the kick was clean and would never cheat, and he welcomed the idea of a rematch.

That’s not likely to do much to soothe Krause’s current pain, though his boss admits it could have gone either way. In personal opinion, White believes it was legal, “but I didn’t get kicked either,” he said.

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